Sewing in 2014

....there has been very little!!!

But that is because a lot has changed in my life right around the 2013-into-2014 bend.

We moved to Vermont from Virginia, so there is that to adapt to, and we are in a totally different living situation. But the good news is I have a nice place to sew in my mom's sewing room (we are living with my parents).

I actually have access to a large cutting table complete with self-healing mats and a rotary cutter!! Boy, do those make pattern cutting so much quicker. Love them.

My mom quilting.

I've done the tiniest bit of sewing for Sparrow & Joy and wish I could do much more, but it is taking a backseat to things closer to home. But I hope to add new things to the shop in spurts when life gets into some sort of normal pace.

For now I am waiting for some huge creative outburst which I hope will come when the season turns to spring.

This squirrel knows that it will be a while and it is time to stuff those cheeks. :D

Here's to crafting joyfully in 2014!!!

Wallets and the Fabric Casket

It is wallet time again! I am back into making wallets. I go through phases-- you've probably noticed if you've been a Sweet Sparrow customer for any amount of time--because there's just so many different things I want to make!

I am bringing back the zip pocket wallets that I love so much. I stopped doing them after we moved last January because they are very time-consuming in the cutting and assembling department. But they are so worth it because a cute wallet is hard to find!

Here is a "tall" size wallet in the works. I feel like I am talking about a Starbucks drink...

Isn't this fabric fabulous? Different hues of purple in a medallion print. Yum. Sorry the photo coloring is so wonky. My camera does not like indoor pics.

I had to share this pic with you. This is the fabric casket--not to sound morbid--but it is where I keep my stash...and it looks like a coffin! 

I keep fabric here and in 2 other places in my closet. I have a lot of fabric.

Here's my machine. Just took a pic because she is so pretty. I love her. =)

And one last pic of my scissor cup because these birds are so cute. They brighten up my sewing area and keep things neat!

Prettying Up & Hiding Things

I attached this old valance I had made many years ago to my fabric shelf to hide the stacks of fabric that sometimes end up really messy. I used stick-on velcro to hang it up. I love that stuff!
 I am glad to have been able to use this valance again. I love roses and shabby chic stuff (plus so many other styles--eclectic!). I found it when cleaning out the linen closet today.

Maybe this will help me focus on one project at a time since I can't see all the possibilities! :)

Sewing Space Finds a Nice Home

I thought I'd write the headline like a newspaper headline... :) But it is no news that I am re-arranging my sewing area AGAIN since we just moved in a month ago. At first it was in the living room, but that was a disaster. So we moved it into the bedroom and it is working out nicely thanks to hubby installing three separate shelves. They are GREAT and I can store my things while saving space. The bins of fabric go in the closet and then I have my sewing machine on a small table.

In this photo, you can see my small shelf that holds three bins for organizing different notions, and below that is my thread organizer and my hanging wall pocket that works great for storing my sewing patterns. I never thought to do it that way before, but it is really ideal since you can just put the pattern into a file folder and label it and shove it in there. It is kind of overflowing so I am going to have to anchor that puppy up there with some screws. Behind the door is my inspiration board. It doesn't have much on it yet, but I plan to put up fabric swatches of special fabrics that need a project. I have so many, but can't visualize projects since they are buried in a bin. So putting small bits of them here and there on the board might get my creative juices flowing.

This is the sewing wall. (Sorry it is a bit dark) The two large shelves hold my notions, beads, papercraft items, and tools. I am eventually going to get a ironing board hanger and install it where the board is now.

It feels so good to be set up again! It is hard to craft in disarray. You can't meet your crafting potential if you don't know exactly where all your materials are. =)

A Few Scenes

 I am horrible at keeping fabric neat. Thanks to my sister and her ironing and folding skills, the cupboard is looking pretty good.

 It is always good to have a window nearby when sewing.

Isn't that a cute sewing basket? My mom gave it to me for my birthday. I think it is from JoAnn's.

Lovely but messy thread. :)

Messy Monday

State of the sewing studio today...

MESSY!

So is the rest of my home. I need to step away from the Singer and go do some cleanin'!!

See that yellow list at the top left? That is my sewing project list! It keeps beckoning, but first things are first. :P

Keepin' it real. ;)

New Acquisitions

Boy, I am chatty today, aren't I? I just love sharing things!! These are some things I picked up today at the Christmas Tree Shop. I just love that store. We didn't have one down South, so I am so glad they have one up here. They have such cute stuff for really good deals.

I have been needing a new ironing board cover since I have slashed mine to pieces. It did a good job for a long time, but was pretty much dead. I thought about making my own cover (ugh, too expensive to buy the big piece of fabric and it takes time to make one), and thought about buying one on Etsy or Amazon. But I remembered seeing some really cute ones at the CTS, and found this sweetheart for $8.99. Can't beat that! And, it is so me. I love bold florals, especially ones that are shabby chic like this one.

Then I found some other cute buys like this pitcher with a bird on it:

and this sweet pink leafy branch silhouette mug (LOVE!):

And the cutest buys of all were these two polka-dot cake stands that I am using for bag displays:

Those are today's finds! I haven't been shopping in soooo long for fun things like this, so it was a real treat. Hope you enjoyed! :)

I've got 2 new things made for the shop, so I am thinking a shop update will be in order by the end of next week once I've made a few more. 

Sprucing up the Studio Corner

Found the top two wall plaques with birds, music notes, and verses on them. They were only 2 bucks a piece at Family Dollar. So perfect for my corner! They complement my walls and curtains.

Where I Sew

My little sewing area. And I mean LITTLE! Thank goodness sewing machines nowadays are portable--I can take my Singer wherever I go and all I need is a little table and an ironing board. We move around so much I have had to get creative with sewing space. In the past I have had a whole room to myself for sewing, I have sewn in our bedroom, in our living room...For now, it is on the backside of an island in the living room/dining room/kitchen area of our one bedroom apartment. Let's just say it is easy to multitask when you do everything in the same room!

That's a little insight into where things from my shop are created!